The women’s basketball team struggled from the floor, but limited No. 2 Baylor to season-low in points in 54-40 loss on Saturday.
“I’m glad I could contribute that way, but I think we are trying to build off the good, but the outcome is that we lost. Right now it’s kind of just trying to build off the good and take that into the next game,” redshirt freshman center Ayoka Lee said.
The Wildcats did not shoot well the entire game — the Wildcats went 6-20 on layups and were outscored 30-18 in the paint.
The Wildcats, like most teams in the Big 12 Conference, have had struggled against Baylor. Kansas State has not defeated the Lady Bears since 2004.
The Lady Bears entered the matchup at the top of the conference with a 13 game winning-streak as well as a 51-game conference winning-streak.
Both teams struggled offensively in the first quarter. Baylor held a 13-8 advantage, shooting 31 percent from the floor. The Wildcats shot 21 percent, including 0-4 from three, but outrebounded the Lady Bears 14-10.
Lee picked up her third foul of the game at the start of the second quarter, forcing the Wildcats to rely on a smaller lineup.
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The Wildcats took a 15-13 lead midway through the second quarter, but Baylor quickly regained the lead on an 18-3 run in the final seven minutes of the half to take a 31-18 lead over the Wildcats at the break.
The K-State defense held the Lady Bears to 38 percent from the floor, but struggled offensively, shooting only 21 percent and 0-5 from three. Lee led the Wildcats with six points and six rebounds in nine first-half minutes. Senior guard Juicy Landrum led the Bears with nine points and senior forward Lauren Cox led with five rebounds.
The Bears extended the lead in the third quarter. The Wildcats started the fourth quarter off with an 8-0 run, but missed multiple shots. With the game down to just 10 points at 46-36 in favor of Baylor, the Bears set out on 4-0 run, sealing the game.
Lee led all scorers with 14 points and Landrum led the Lady Bears with 11. The Wildcats successfully limited multiple starters below their season averages.
The Wildcats still remain in the middle of the conference and will have a chance to move up in the Big 12 with back to back road games against the two teams ranked above them.
K-State will face West Virginia in Morgantown at 6 p.m. Tuesday on the K-State Sports Network. Then they’ll face off against Oklahoma at 2 p.m. on Feb. 16.
